Buddhist Activities

A C T I V I T I E S 렁 D R A M A

Introduction

I use the term 'drama' here fairly loosely to include a variety of people interactives; the dictionary has the word as both a stage piece and an emotional event - from the Greek: something performed. Many of the items here are not specifically 'Buddhist' but have been found to be useful as ways of approaching aspects of personal dynamics that 'classical practice' would not so easily reveal for some. This is particularly the case with young people whose energies and (lack of) worldly experience often make those practices inaccesible or irrelevant.

are you aware
we are
you
?

There is often a blurred line between what some would call either new age or psychology and what is generally regarded as the 'orthodox' Buddha word. The Buddha was quite clear when he said 'I teach suffering, its cause, the end of suffering and the path leading to that end.' Part of that path is the discourse on mindfulness - the Satipattana Sutta. He encouraged mindfulness and awareness of the body, of feelings, of mind and of dhammas. All four of these can be little more than ideas for some people. City dwellers, those with sedentary occupations, etc. can be very unaware of their bodies and sometimes a bit of 'jumping up and down and rushing about' is required to bring the earth element into perspective. Feelings: both men and women can be very unaware of, or unwilling to acknowledge these. How difficult it is for many young people to be able to have any perspective on, and be able to express or share their feelings. A bit of fuzzy wuzzy, feel good inter-activity can create a comfortable space where these can be explored - both personally and with a group. The mind: this is dealt with in ACTIVITIES - MEDITATION. Dhammas: these cover a range of 'internals / externals' which can be investigated through group activity.

confident

'we'
?
got no identity
crisis

One of the greatest obstacles to clear seeing, or open expression, is fear. This arises in relation to self-view (atta ditthi - see: TEACHINGS - ANATTA) in some form or another. Many of the activities here aim at developing trust - in oneself and others - as an initial approach to that fear.
There is an ongoing discussion about the need to have a healthy, confident sense of self before one can let self go, v's just letting go. Having a body and mind we are in an 'entangled' relationship with conventionalconditions and in the process of transcending those conditions we can (and have little choice but) use them to move toward understandingthat relationship. I can develop the Eightfold Path knowing it is a process leading to the goal, rather than being it or causing it. Until there is clear understanding of selflessness there is always some kind of perceptual 'me' working in relation to 'other' in the world of conditions. We can work on and with conditions at the same time as we work on transcending them. And doing stuff with other people generally seems to open some new line of thought or highlight some strength or weakness. And then there is FUN!

Item headings to contain the activities in logical page groups took some thought; many of them could go in one or the other - or neither. The idea was to develop a list with trust progression - initial meetings to vulnerability.
This collection is far from extensive or anywhere near complete but I felt it important to give proportionate attention to this aspect of exploring the path. I have tried to keep each activity description fairly brief so you can easily review the pages, take the essence and evolve your own variations. Hopefully there is enough description or the activity principles are simple enough. My experience is that if the core of an idea is too complex it most likely won't work. Number 1: KISS - keep it super simple!